What is pesticide drift?
Pesticide drift is the movement of pesticides through the air, away from the area where they were applied. It’s somewhat analogous to secondhand smoke. Cigarette smoke drifts away from the smoker and can be inhaled by nearby non-smokers as secondhand smoke. Similarly, a herbicide sprayed on a plant or tree can drift away from its target and land on non-targeted plants. Drift becomes a problem when the herbicide or other pesticide has an unintended impact or causes damage. An example is 2,4-D, a herbicide used to control dandelions and other broadleaf weeds. Some lawn-care products (e.g., Ortho Weed-B-Gon and Scotts Turf Builder with Plus 2 Weed Control) contain 2,4-D. The granular form of 2,4-D can turn into a gas and drift away from the place where it was applied, harming plants sensitive to 2-4-D, like grapes, tomatoes, and lilacs3. 3. How can pesticide drift be prevented? Preventing spray drift is the responsibility of the person applying the pesticides. (Applicators include private
